The Wiggler | SLAC Archives, History & Records Office

A wiggler is an arrangement of magnets configured so that, when inserted into the path of a beam of particles, it affects the properties of the beam.

Suggested in 1956 by K. W. Robinson of the Harvard University Cambridge Electron Accelerator (CEA) as a way to produce synchrotron radiation,
the first wiggler was built by CEA in 1966 -- but it was installed as a damping component in a beam storage system.

It wasn't until 1979, at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project (SSRP -- later renamed SSRL) that a wiggler was first built and installed to be used as a synchrotron radiation source.

SSRL wiggler, 1978 — First SSRL wiggler, front view, 1978 *(SLAC)*

Wiggler display at SLAC — Original SSRL wiggler, now on permanent display outdoors at SLAC (2002) *(SLAC - Rogers)*

Plaque on wiggler display — Plaque on SSRL first wiggler display *(SLAC - Rogers)*

References

SSRP News:The Wiggler Workshop. SLAC Beam Line, April 1977 p. 3
Robinson, Arthur L. Wiggler Magnet Shakes Light from Electrons: Successful test at Stanford shows that new device enhances synchrotron radiation from orbiting electrons in storage rings. Science, 27 Apr 1979, Vol 204, Issue 4391, pp. 394-396. DOI: 10.1126/science.204.4391.394
Initial Operation of SSRL Wiggler in SPEAR. M. Berndt; W. Brunk; R. Cronin; D. Jensen; R. Johnson; A. King; J. Spencer; T. Taylor; H. Winick. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science ( Volume: 26, Issue: 3, June 1979) pp 3812-3815. DOI: 10.1109/TNS.1979.4330617
SSRL History
SPEAR History